Sprinkler



Au 12, 1952 J. A. R-OYER SPRINKLER Filed Feb, 17, .1950

INVENTOR John H. Roger BY 444i: Mir

ATTORNEYS l atenteci l2, 1952 SPRINKLER John A. Royer, Fresno, Calif., assignor to Buckner Manufacturing Company, Fresno, Calif., a copartnership Application February 17, 1950, Serial No. 144,649

stream issuing from a nozzle mounted on said head; the sprinkler being especially designed, but not limited, for use in connection with a portable, agricultural sprinkling system.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary sprinkler, of the step by step motion type, which will function properly at relatively low water pressure; this being a condition which frequently exists in portable irrigation systems wherein a multiplicity of sprinklers are simultaneously fed from a common feed pipe.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sprinkler, as aforesaid, wherein the actuating mechanism includes, with a vertically swingable arm, a novel water deflection spoon on an outer end of the arm adapted to be recurringly impinged by the stream of water from a nozzle; each impingement of the spoon with the stream causing the sprinkler to part-rotate one step and the spoon and arm to swing down to clear the stream preparatory to a return up-swing for the next step in the operation.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a sprinkler, as in the preceding paragraph, wherein said spoon has a novel functional configuration which assures of the desired lateral shifting motion of the spoon, and resultant step by step rotation of the sprinkler, under conditions of relatively low water pressure as aforesaid; i. e. a relatively low pressure water stream directed against the spoon from the corresponding nozzle.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a sprinkler which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture; the sprinkler being of simplified construction, well balanced, and functioning smoothly when in operation.

' Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable sprinkler, and yet one which will be exceedingly efiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the sprinkler.

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the sprinkler.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the spoon, on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the chars Claims. (01. 299-69) acters of reference on the drawings, the sprinkler comprises an upstanding, Y-shaped rotary head, indicated generally at l such head being of tubular construction and including opposed branches 2 and 3, together witha depending attachment neck 4 which is coupled by a swivel joint 5 to a fitting 6. The fitting B is adapted to be secured by threading onto .the upper end, of a water pressure supply riser 1, as in a portable irrigation system or the like. I r

The branches 2 and 3 are each fitted, at their outer ends, with a nozzle; such nozzles being indicated at 8 and 9, respectively. As the nozzles extend axially from the branchesZ and 3, the streams of water emit from said nozzles with an upward and outward divergence.

A swing arm I0 is disposed laterally of-one side of the Y-shaped rotary head I and is mounted for vertical swinging or oscillating motion in the following manner: 7 i Intermediate its ends the swing arm Ill is fixed to a horizontal cross shaft ll which extends inwardly through the crotch of the Y-shaped rotary head I, being turnably supported in a transverse boss l2 separate from said head. The transverse bosslz is in integral connection, by means of a neck [3, with an upstanding axis boss l4 disposed in the direction of the nozzle 9 and turnably engaged on an upstanding stud l5 fixed to the branch 3 intermediate its ends such stud being at substantially a right angle to the axis of said branch 3. I

The upstanding axis boss '14 is turnably main tained on the stud l5 by means of a hold-down washer l6 and a cotter pin I! which extends through said stud.

The transverse boss I2 is formed, on the side opposite the neck I3, with an integral extension 18 which projects longitudinally of, and'in'overhanging relation to, the branch 2; such exten-- sion 18 having a longitudinally outwardly opening, generally U'-shaped notch l9 therein, and a nub 2 0 upstanding from the branch 2. engages in said notch. The notch 19 is of greater width than the nub 20, whereby the transverse boss I! is capable of slight rocking motion with the stud l5 as an axis; the boss M correspondingly partturning about said stud The purpose of the above rockablemount for the transverse boss 12 will hereinafter appear. I

The swing arm l0 projects some distance beyond the nozzle 9, and at the corresponding end is formed with a water deflection spoon, indicated generally at 21; such spoon extending laterally inwardly from the swing arm and in starting closer to the axis of rotation of the head 1 than I the trailing edge of said spoon.

The clockwise motion of the spoon 2! under the influence of the stream of water from the nozzle 9 is enhanced by forming inwardly extending lips 23 and 24 on the top and leading edges, re-

spectively, of said spoon. Thus, when a water stream from the nozzle 9 strikes the spoon 2|, considerable pressure is built up on the working face 22 in the direction of the lip 24; the latter retarding such pressure and the resultant countereffect assuring of a clockwise motion of the spoon v The swin arm I!) is fitted, on the rear end portion thereof i. e. opposite the spoon 2|, with an adjustable counterweight 25 held in position by a set screw 26, the counterweight 25 tending to swing the arm [0 in a direction to raise the spoon 2| to its uppermost position, which uppermost position is controlled by a stop'screw 2'7 threaded through a laterally projecting finger 28 on the boss Id. The finger 28 overhangs the swing arm I0 ahead of the cross shaft I, and the stop screw 2! is abutted by said arm from below.

When the above described sprinkler is .in operation, water from the nozzle 9, impinging upon the water deflection spoon 2|, causes said spoon to shift clockwise a short distance, and at the same time to swing downward, clearing the spoon from the stream. Asthe spoon 2| shifts clockwise such short distance a rocking motion is first irnparted to the transverse boss i2, and a sharp impact occurs between the notched extension 13 and the nub 20, setting up a vibration in the head I l whereby said head,'under continued clockwise motion of the spoon 2|, freely takes a step or part-turn movement.

After each down swing of the arm H], the counterweight 25 swings the spoon end of the arm upward, whereupon the next step in the operation takes place. Such upswing .can'be-supplemented, if desired, by a torque spring (not shown) working between the cross shaft H and transverse boss I2. The speed of swinging motion of the arm it is regulated by adjustment of the counterweight 25, Which adjustment thus also controls the speed of the step-by-step motion of the rotary head I.

In order to permit the spoon 2| on each upstroke to return to its u pflrmost limit of movement; i. e. its proper starting position, a laterally inwardly projecting baffle 29 is formed on the swing arm l0 intermediate the spoon 2i and nozzle 9. The action of this baffle 29 is to break up or disturb the stream of water from the nozzle 9, as the arm in swings upward, at the proper moment to permit the spoon 2i to return to its starting position in the normal path of said stream.

' By reason of the particular configuration of the spoon; the positioning of the cross shaft ll directly above the vertical axis of the sprinkler,

with resultant excellent balance; and the jarring notched extension 18 and hub 20, the sprinkler works smoothly and effectively, even under conditions of relatively low water pressure. The sprinkler is thus admirably suited for use in connection with portable, agricultural irrigation systems which many times work under high pressure.

Another advantage of the described design is that the swing arm l6, together with the associated fitting, including the bosses I2 and I4, can be readily detached from the remainder of the sprinkler merely by removing the cotter pin H and sliding the boss 14 off the stud I5. This expedites repair or replacement of parts, and additionally facilitates initial manufacture of the device.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations therefrom may be resorted to as do not form a depar-r ture from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A water deflector for the vertically swingable weighted arm of a step-by-step lateralnozzle rotary sprinkler in which said arm extends ahead of the nozzle; the deflector comprising a spoon having a transversely flat and relatively wide working facecurving upwardly and forwardly from below and normally extending thence across the path of the stream issuing from the nozzle and lying diagonal thereto, and a lip extending along the upper edge of said working face normally above the axis of the stream and projecting in the direction of the nozzle.

2. A deflector as in claim 1, in which the lip is of substantially semi-circular form in cross sec.- tion.

3. In the combination of a rotary vertical-axis sprinkler head having a nozzle projecting laterally from its upper end and a rearwardly weighted swing arm disposed to one side of the head and having a deflector element ahead of the nozzle for recurring engagement by the stream from the nozzle; means'mounting the arm for vertical swinging movement including a pivot pin extending transversely of the nozzle, and means supporting the pin from the head so that the axis of the pin substantially intersects the axial line of the head.

4. In the combination of a rotary verticalaxis sprinkler head having a nozzle projecting laterally from its upper end and a rearwardly weighted swing arm disposed to one side of the head and having a deflector element ahead of the nozzle for recurring engagement by the stream from the nozzle; means mounting the arm for vertical swinging movement including a pivot pin extending transversely of the nozzle and directly over the head, and means supporting the pin from the head, and adjustment means acting on the arm to limit the upward swing of the arm and enable the normal position of the deflector relative to the stream to be selectively altered.

5. In the combination of a rotary vertical-axis sprinkler head having a nozzle projecting laterally from its upper end and a rearwardly weighted swing arm disposed to one side of the head and having. a deflector element ahead of the nozzle 5 for recurring engagement by the stream from the nozzle; means mounting the arm for vertical swinging movement including a pivot pin extending transversely of the nozzle and directly over the head, and means supporting the pin from the head to allow of limited lateral swinging movement of the arm.

6. 'A structure as in claim 5 in which said last named means comprises a transverse boss in which the pin is mounted, a stud upstanding from the head ahead of the boss, an upstanding boss rigid with the transverse boss and turnable on the stud, and means limiting rotation of the upstanding boss on the stud.

7. A structure as in claim 6 in which said limiting means comprises an extension on and projecting rearwardly from the transverse boss and overlying the head, the extension having an 6 adjustable element on the upstanding boss overhanging the arm ahead of the pivot pin to limit upward swinging of the arm and enable the deflector element to be set in a selected position relative to the stream from the nozzle.

JOHN A. RO-YER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,006,028 Netzband June 25, 1935 2,065,549 Balensiefer Dec. 29, 1936 2,119,312 Buckner May 31, 1938 2,278,356 Livingston Mar. 31, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 123,285 Switzerland Feb. 1, 1928 330,330 Great Britain June 12, 1930 

